Industry News
Farm Equipment Launches
Precision Farming Dealer Website
Brookfield, Wis., March 13, 2013 — The editors of Farm Equipmentare pleased to announce the launch of a brand new website —PrecisionFarmingDealer.com — aimed specifically at equipment dealers.
The new website — now available — builds on the success of Precision Farming Dealer, the twice-a-month e-newsletter, that delivers relevant information and dealer-to-dealer advice on best practices for selling, servicing and supporting precision technology.
At PrecisionFarmingDealer.com, users can freely access the latest precision farming news, videos and feature articles, and also register to receive the free e-newsletter.
“Precision Farming Dealer was developed to fulfill the mission that guides Farm Equipment,” says Dave Kanicki, executive editor. “This is to give our readers information they can use immediately to help improve their operations and add to their bottom line. In this case, our new website is focused solely on presenting precision farming information specifically for dealers to help them develop and improve their precision retail operations.”
The established e-newsletter and the new website are part ofPrecision Farming Dealer’s growing platform giving readers a full suite of informational tools including print, web, email and social media.
In conjunction with the launch of the new website, Precision Farming Dealer published its first ever-print edition in March, 2013.
The magazine features the inaugural Precision Farming Dealer Most Valuable Dealership profile, an in-depth baseline study of emerging dealer trends in precision ag and a precision education directory.
A digital companion of the print publication is also be available on the new website. It features additional features, interactive links and a video series on the 2013 Most Valuable Dealership award winner.
“Like many of the dealers we serve, we’ve added staff whose sole responsibility is to stay on top of the rapidly evolving technology of precision farming and to keep our readers ahead of the curve,” says Kanicki. “We’re very pleased with how our technology editor, Jack Zemlicka, has embraced this mission. He is leading the way in our efforts to make PrecisionFarmingDealer.com the most up-to-date and comprehensive source of information on technology that dealers can use to improve their operations.”
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NAEDA Elects 2013 Leadership
FENTON, Mo., March 14, 2013 — The North American Equipment Dealers Assn. (NAEDA) has announced the election of its new officers for the year ahead. They assumed their new roles March 1, 2013.
Chairman of the Board
Tom Nobbe, of Waterloo, Ill., has been elected chairman of the board of directors of the North American Equipment Dealers Association (NAEDA).
Nobbe is general manager of Wm Nobbe & Co., a seven-location John Deere equipment dealership serving southern Illinois and southeastern Missouri. Wm Nobbe & Co. locations include Waterloo, Ill., Jerseyville and Steelville, Ill., and Scott City, Ste Genevieve, Farmington and St. Peters, Mo.
Nobbe is serving his second three-year term on the NAEDA board from the Midwest Equipment Dealers Association (MEDA).
Nobbe graduated from Southwestern Illinois College in Belleville, IL.
Nobbe is active in the communities of Waterloo and Red Bud, Ill. He is in the Waterloo Rotary Club and is director of the First State Bank of Red Bud. He is a past board member of the St. Louis Agri-Business Club.
First Vice Chairman
Blaine Bingham, of Mesa, Ariz., has been elected first vice chairman and treasurer of the board of directors of the North American Equipment Dealers Association (NAEDA).
Bingham is president/general manager of Bingham Equipment Company. The dealership sells AGCO, Bobcat, Carquest, Case Construction, Kubota, MacDon and New Holland equipment from nine locations in Arizona.
Bingham’s father, Norm, founded the company which opened its first location in 1955 and served as NAEDA president in 1986.
Bingham is serving his second three-year term on the NAEDA board from the Far West Equipment Dealers Association. He was President of FWEDA in 2005.
Bingham graduated from the University of Arizona in Tucson, Arizona.
Second Vice Chairman
Brian Carpenter, of Middlebury, Vt., has been elected second vice chairman and secretary of the board of directors of the North American Equipment Dealers Association (NAEDA).
Carpenter is general manager/partner of Champlain Valley Equipment Inc. The dealership sells Case IH, Kubota and New Holland equipment from three locations in Vermont.
In addition to serving on NAEDA’s Executive Committee, Carpenter is the chairman of the NAEDA Manufacturers Relations Committee. He is serving his second three-year term on the NAEDA board from the Northeast Equipment Dealers Association.
Carpenter graduated from the St. Lawrence University in Canton, New York.
Also serving on the NAEDA Executive Committee is Joe Nash of Mississippi, immediate past chairman and Gary Manke of Wisconsin who represents all the NAEDA affiliated associations.
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Kubota Expects Yen to Push
Sales to Record as It Chases Deere
By: Masumi Suga & Masatsugu Horie, Bloomberg
March 13, 2013 — Kubota Corp., the Japanese farm tractor maker seeking an overseas purchase of as much as $2 billion, said the weakening yen will push sales to a record in the next fiscal year and won’t curb its acquisition appetite.
The boost to exports from the yen’s slide, combined with more demand from North America and Southeast Asia, will probably lift revenue by about 20% to 1.4 trillion yen ($14.6 billion) in the fiscal year starting April 1, President Yasuo Masumoto said March 11 in an interview in Tokyo. His target is 13% higher than the mean of 19 analyst estimates compiled by Bloomberg.
“The yen’s depreciation is driving up our top line,” Masumoto said. “We have high expectations on the impact from gains in the currency in the coming year,” he said.
The 11% decline in the yen since Prime Minister Shinzo Abe took office December 26 is alleviating cost pressures at Japanese exporters ranging from Toyota Motor Corp. to JFE Holdings Inc. Mechanization in Thailand and more sales in the U.S. to consumers involved in gardening and renovation are also boosting demand for Kubota’s equipment, Masumoto said.
In the U.S., work began on 613,000 single-family homes at an annualized rate in January, the most since July 2008, according to a February 26 release from the Commerce Department in Washington.
Kubota fell 1.2% to 1,225 yen at the close in Tokyo yesterday, pairing its gain this year to 24%. Deere (DE) & Co., the world’s biggest maker of farm equipment, has risen 5.1% in the same period.
Yen Lows
The yen’s decline in the past three months will be fully reflected in the company’s earnings next quarter, according to Kubota. The yen traded at 95.75 yen to the U.S. dollar as of 3:37 p.m. in Tokyo yesterday after touching 96.71 the previous day, the weakest since August 2009.
As a negative, the weaker yen increases costs for Japanese companies when they invest in overseas assets, reducing their purchasing power. Kubota’s need to capitalize on growth in the global market for agricultural equipment means the lower yen won’t alter its ambitions for acquisitions, Masumoto said.
Kubota, which specializes in smaller tractors and combines for wet paddy fields, is seeking to add large tractors powerful enough to plow big fields that grow wheat and corn — a market dominated by Deere, CNH Global NV (CNH) and Agco Corp. (AGCO)
Masumoto has approached acquisition targets that own large tractors and aims to settle a deal by the end of the year, he said, without naming any companies.
Deere
The company last year completed its purchase of Kverneland ASA, a Norwegian maker of tractor plows and grass-processing products, as a step to speed overseas expansion.
Kubota has so far used its experience in selling agricultural equipment to expand in rice-growing regions in Southeast Asia and China, where economic growth has boosted incomes.
Masumoto wants Kubota to become the world’s top producer of farm equipment by overtaking Deere in the long term.
“Ten years from now, we want to be seen as a real threat to Deere,” the president said.
Story Link: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-03-13/kubota-expects-yen-to-push-sales-to-record-as-it-chases-deere.html
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KZValve Receives John
Deere Supplier Innovation Award
GREENWOOD, Neb., March 12, 2013 — KZValve, a manufacturer of motorized valves and controls, has announced its selection as a recipient of a John Deere supplier innovation award for 2012. The award is presented to a select group of suppliers who have demonstrated innovation in a product or service they provide to John Deere.
Award selections are based on four factors — creativity, feasibility, collaboration, and bottom-line impact. John Deere created the supplier innovation awards in 2010 to promote innovation in the company’s supply base and recognize suppliers who think creatively. KZValve was one of only eight total awards given by John Deere for the year 2012. KZValve employees accepted the recognition during formal ceremonies held on March 5, 2012 in Davenport, Iowa.
KZValve, based in Greenwood, NE, supplies a variety of Motorized Valves and Controls to John Deere, and is being recognized for supplying its ISOBUS actuator, which John Deere will use to control the rate of tank agitation on its self-propelled sprayers. This actuator (or electric valve) is one of the smartest actuators KZValve has built to date. It is controlled digitally by John Deere’s system, has numerous smart functions built in, communicates continuously with the system, and comes ready to react to the operator’s needs.
Scott Morgan, KZValve General Manager and CFO commented, “ Hats off not only to Kyle Vest, the lead designer on this product, but to our whole engineering and design group who hears the customer’s needs and then works to provide innovative solutions. KZValve has a great company culture that emulates that philosophy day after day in every department. I am extremely proud of the dedication, commitment, and level of service our employees provide to our customers and this award has proven just that.”
KZValve, an ISO 9001:2008 Certified Company, has been manufacturing actuated valves for over 35 years. KZValve designs and manufactures low voltage electric actuators, controllers, and manual valves and fittings offering a wide variety of valve sizes, wiring controls, and other custom solutions. Prevalent in the Agriculture industry, KZValve also works in many diverse markets including Fire Apparatus, De-Icing/Anti-Icing, Water Processing, and many other industrial processes.
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Paul Kindinger Named CEO of
Cape Cod Cranberry Growers' Assn.
Agri-Pulse reports:
March 7, 2013 — Paul Kindinger, director of public affairs at USDA during the George H.W. Bush administration, has been named CEO of the Cape Cod Cranberry Growers' Association in Massachusetts.
He has been CEO of the North American Equipment Dealers Association for nearly 12 years, CEO of the Agricultural Retailers Association in the 1990s and director of the Michigan Department of Agriculture for six years in the 1980s.
Deere Ranked Among
World's Most Ethical Companies
MOLINE, Ill., March 8, 2013 — For the seventh consecutive year, Deere & Company has been included on Ethisphere Institute's "World's Most Ethical Companies" list. The research-based Ethisphere Institute is dedicated to the creation, advancement and sharing of best practices in business ethics, corporate social responsibility, anti-corruption and sustainability.
Deere was among 145 companies honored after evaluations were conducted of each company's corporate ethics and compliance program; overall reputation, leadership and innovation; corporate governance; corporate citizenship and responsibility; and company culture concerning ethics.
"Our core values of integrity, quality, commitment and innovation are a source of inspiration for Deere employees and dealers around the world," said Samuel R. Allen, chairman and chief executive officer. "This focus on how we do business has earned John Deere the loyalty of generations of customers whose work is linked to the land."
The Ethisphere Institute reported that honorees promote ethical business standards and practices internally that exceed legal compliance minimums and shape future industry standards. The list was made final after Ethisphere reviewed and analyzed nominations from companies in more than 100 countries and 36 industries. Assessment of company data that was then verified by careful independent research resulted in an Ethics Quotient for each company. Those with the highest EQ scores in each industry were named to the final list.
Alex Brigham, executive director of Ethisphere, said, "More companies applied for the World's Most Ethical Companies recognition this year than any year in the past, which demonstrates that ethical activity is an important part of many of these companies' business models. We are also seeing more companies be proactive and create new initiatives that expand ethics programs and cultures across entire industries."
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Seed Hawk Opens New Parts Warehouses
Manufacturing Announces Financial Results For The Fiscal Year 2012
LANGBANK, SK, March 8, 2013 — Seed Hawk has announced the opening of four new external warehouses available for parts distribution. The warehouses, located in Saskatoon, Regina, Edmonton, and Minot, ND, will support Seed Hawk’s continuing focus on customer service.
With authorized dealers across these key growing areas, it can be challenging to have the right parts in the right place at the right time, particularly in-season. The addition of these new warehouses will ensure that Seed Hawk customers can quickly access the parts they need and get back in field with minimal delay.
“We’re excited that interest in Seed Hawk equipment is growing,” says Pat Beaujot, President of Seed Hawk, “and we are committed to making every Seed Hawk customer’s experience a great one. From designing and building the machines to selling and servicing them, every step is taken with the customer in mind.”
In the last year, Seed Hawk has doubled their North American Service Team. The team’s combined experience pairs precision farming with farm machinery mechanics, contributing to thorough, knowledgeable service. The Service Team supports the Seed Hawk’s authorized dealer network to provide customers with the best support possible.
Seed Hawk’s new warehouses and expanded Service Team will ensure that growers always get prompt, qualified service for their Seed Hawk machines.
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Agrievolution Alliance Supports
International Ag Electronics Efforts of AEF Group
Global standardization creates greater opportunities, efficiencies for farmers, equipment makers.
March 7, 2013 — Work on a global ag electronics communications standard by the Agricultural Industry Electronics Foundation (AEF) will create greater opportunities and efficiencies for farmers and equipment manufacturers, states the Agrievolution Alliance. The alliance has published a white paper officially supporting AEF in recognition of the two groups’ shared focus on increasing agricultural productivity worldwide.
“Precision farming and agriculture is very much linked to the efficiency of the equipment being used. … AEF has seen the need for manufacturers to work together to insure compatibility and deliver combinations of equipment that will work properly together to meet the farmer’s expectations,” noted the alliance white paper.
AEF promotes the compatibility of tractors, implements and farm management software through the applications and benefits of the ISOBUS electronics communications standard.
“AEF’s work will help the world’s farmers profit from smarter, compatible equipment which will ultimately increase global agricultural productivity; it will enable machinery manufacturers to manufacture a piece of equipment in any country and sell it anywhere in the world without the need for regional standards and regulatory modifications. Member companies from all of the alliance organizations around the globe would realize the same benefit,” said Charlie O’Brien, Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) senior vice president and agriculture sector leader.
The Agrievolution Alliance is a global coalition of agricultural machinery manufacturing associations. Founded in April 2012, it represents thousands of agricultural equipment manufacturers around the world. AEM holds a seat on the group’s steering committee and serves as alliance secretariat.
The alliance’s mission is to share data, create awareness, exert influence and offer guidance and perspective on current global industry issues and future challenges. In addition to the U.S.-based AEM, alliance members to date represent the EU, Germany, Brazil, France, India, Italy, Russia, Turkey and United Kingdom.
AEF Work Will Change the Ag Products of the Future
The Agricultural Industry Electronics Foundation was formed in 2008 through the efforts of several agricultural equipment manufacturers, plus the German VDMA and U.S.-based AEM machinery associations. AEF now numbers more than 140 member companies.
The alliance white paper cites the growth in AEF membership as showing “the need and value placed by the manufacturers on standardization and the sharing of information. The work being done by AEF project teams today will change the Ag products of the future and make the world’s farmers more productive with smarter equipment.”
Alliance Represents Major World Areas
Current member associations of the Agrievolution Alliance are:
- ABIMAQ (Brazilian Association of Industrial Machinery and Equipment)
- AEA (Agricultural Engineers Association, UK)
- AEM (Association of Equipment Manufacturers, USA)
- AXEMA (Association for Industrial Agricultural Equipment, France)
- CEMA (European Agricultural Machinery Association)
- FICCI (Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry)
- ROSAGROMASH (Russian Association of Agricultural Machinery Manufacturers)
- TARMAKBIR (Turkish Association of Agricultural Machinery & Equipment Manufacturers)
- UNACOMA (Italian Farm Machinery Manufacturers Association)
- VDMA (German Agricultural Machinery Association)
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Mahindra Produces Two Millionth Tractor
Plant Rolls Out Milestone Tractor In Mumbai, India
HOUSTON, Texas, March 7, 2013 — Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd., the world's number one selling tractor manufacturer, rolled out its two millionth tractor from the company's Kandivali plant in Mumbai, India, on February 27, 2013. The company achieved this milestone by doubling its global production in less than a decade. The first million tractors were produced over a nearly 40-year span, beginning in 1965 with the first Mahindra tractor.
Mahindra USA, has contributed to this milestone in the company’s history through its steady growth in the U.S. and Canadian tractor markets over the past two decades. It is currently ranked among the top tractor manufacturers and is the fastest growing tractor brand in North America.
“This is a time for us to challenge ourselves and continue building on Mahindra’s success. By providing quality products and outstanding service to our customers we have gained significant ground in North America and we are not done yet," said Mani Iyer, President of Mahindra USA.
“Mahindra’s brand recognition and reputation in the North American market is built on the strong foundation and long history of providing quality products and unwavering commitment to our dealer network,” said Cleo Franklin, Vice President, Marketing and Strategic Planning. “Our customer and dealer first strategy has led Mahindra USA to an industry-leading 97 percent customer satisfaction and 98 percent brand loyalty rating. This dedicated strategy will continue to be the cornerstone for our long-term growth plans in the North American market.”
Mahindra became the number one selling tractor brand in the world in 2010 by providing consumers with value-packed, high-quality tractors. Mahindra is the only tractor manufacturer in the world to win both the Deming Application Prize and the coveted Japan Quality Medal for excellence in Total Quality Management, awarded by the Deming Prize Committee care of the Union of Japanese Scientists.
Mahindra “Rise” is a culture and philosophy of Accepting No Limits, Driving Positive Change and Alternative Thinking.
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Titan Machinery Acquires Adobe CE LLC of New Mexico
WEST FARGO, N.D., March 4, 2013 — Titan Machinery Inc. (NASDAQ:TITN) announced today that it has acquired Adobe CE, LLC, consisting of one Case Construction equipment dealership located in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
The Albuquerque location represents the Company’s first dealership in New Mexico. The dealership is strategically located in Albuquerque to serve a twenty county area. In its most recently reported fiscal year, Adobe CE, LLC generated revenue of approximately $8 million.
David Meyer, Titan Machinery’s Chairman and CEO, said, “We are excited to expand our construction equipment footprint into New Mexico, and we look forward to establishing our brand in this new market. New Mexico is strategically located between our Colorado and Arizona markets and has good market potential for new and used construction equipment and parts and service sales, as well as for associated rental demand. With this acquisition, Titan Machinery now has a contiguous Case Construction footprint from Arizona to the Canadian border.”
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